Employees and guests had the opportunity to tour the addition which includes two new monoplace hyperbaric chambers. Each chamber weighs more than a ton, and each features a reclining bed inside of a large clear shell where patients can listen to music or watch television while receiving their treatment, which lasts approximately two hours and is given five days per week. The additional chambers will allow the Wound Healing Center to treat up to 20 patients per day with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is double the amount of patients the center was able to treat before renovations.

“Our addition is very important because we had reached our capacity. We had topped out at what we were able to do and had a wait list of patients who needed our services so adding our two chambers will allow us to treat a larger population. We now have the largest hyperbaric suite in this area,” said Vanessa Barr, program manager.

Forrest General’s Wound Healing Center treats patients with serious injuries and conditions that could lead to amputation if not treated and properly managed. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an essential component of some chronic wound treatment plans. This treatment increases the amount of oxygen in the patient’s blood allowing oxygen to pass more easily through the plasma into the wounds to heal them. The hyperbaric chambers surround patients with one hundred percent oxygen at higher the normal atmospheric pressure.

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